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My Broccoli Cheddar Breakfast Bake is the perfect recipe to impress your family and friends for special occasions!

I am thrilled to be partnering with Thomas Breads to bring you new recipes this year using their products. Today, I’ve incorporated Thomas English Muffins in my breakfast dish and it could not be more delicious! Packed with roasted potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, bell peppers and cheese, this recipe will be a huge hit!

Be sure to prepare your roasted potatoes ahead of time, that way you can get right to work on the recipe.

You’ll need 4 Thomas English Muffins.

Cut each muffin into eighths.

Split them open and place into a 12 inch cast iron skillet.

Top with broccoli florets.

Pour your egg mixture over top.

Top with shredded cheese!

Perfect, ready to bake!

Ahhh, perfection!

Cut into wedges and serve with your favorite hot sauce if desired. Enjoy!

Cut each English Muffin into eighths, split apart and place into cast iron skillet. Top with roasted potatoes (see here for recipe) and broccoli florets. Crack eggs into large mixing bowl and whisk in salt and pepper. Pour egg mixture over muffins, potatoes and broccoli. Top evenly with shredded cheese.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until eggs are set. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting into wedges. Serve with your favorite salsa if desired.

Makes 8 Servings

This post is in partnership with Thomas Breads, however thoughts are my own.

Grate the chocolate into a bowl and set aside.
Combine salt, egg yolks, rice flour and milk in a separate bowl and set aside.

Pour all the cream and the chocolate into a sauce pan and heat to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and cook until both the sugar and the chocolate are melted.
Take a quarter of a cup of the hot mixture and slowly add to the egg yolk and rice flour mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk, to prevent scrambling.

Stir the warmed egg yolk mixture into the sauce pan and bring all the ingredients to a boil for about a minute. Set aside and allow it to cool to room temperature. While the mixture is cooling, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the frozen pie shell, set it upon a cookie sheet to prevent spillage and bake for 40-45 minutes, until set. Remove from oven and let it cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or overnight.

Makes Eight 6 ounce Servings

How gorgeous is this American Heritage Chocolate Drink?! Oh my goodness, thick, creamy and fabulous.

Chocolate is American History. It is more than just a food or confection. Chocolate reflects different groups of people, cultures and historical events throughout the ages, and allows us to share a common connection through time.

Mars Chocolate North America is dedicated to sharing chocolate’s fascinating journey through time–how chocolate was made, how it was used, where it came from, and what it tasted like throughout history.

Made with all-natural ingredients and no preservatives, American Heritage Chocolate is an artisan dark chocolate containing 63% cacao. Mildly spicy, and slightly sweet, American Heritage Chocolate is flavored with a blend of spices and ingredients available during colonial times, including cinnamon, nutmeg, chili pepper, orange, anise and vanilla.

They offer Chocolate Sticks, Chocolate Bites, Chocolate Blocks and Finely Grated Chocolate Drink. They are sold at over 150 fine gift shops at historic sites and museums in the US and Canada.

(April 16, 2015) Mars Chocolate North America is pleased to announce that American Heritage™ Chocolate—the company’s authentic historic chocolate brand—is expanding west and will now be available at the company’s iconic M&M’S World® store in Las Vegas. This is following the brand’s recent launch in the M&M’S World® store in New York City in November 2014. Chocolate lovers and entertainment enthusiasts from around the world will get to learn more about chocolate’s rich history and heritage as part of their M&M’S World® experience with American Heritage™ Chocolate’s permanent display on the fourth floor. A team of Mars Chocolate History Ambassadors will share hands-on historic chocolate making demonstrations complete with a sampling of American Heritage™ Chocolate today, April 16, from 9am-3pm PST.

This post is in partnership with American Heritage Chocolate, however opinions are my own.

You are going to love these Chicken Taco Cornbread Wedges! A fun dinner recipe the whole family will go nuts for!

So many fun memories writing this post today. I was contacted by Martha White to feature my 2007 winning Cornbread Cook-off recipe for their Virtual Cornbread Potluck 2015! Be sure to scroll down past the recipe and see the other bloggers who joined in the fun.

Many of you probably don’t know that quite a few years ago I started my cooking career as a competitive cook! It’s funny even saying that because I am not really a competitive person! I really enjoyed writing recipes and just kind of fell into this fun world of competing. One of my favorite cook-off’s was definitely the Martha White Cornbread Cook-Off in 2007. Here I am preparing my dish for the judges. Talk about being a nervous wreck! I remember getting all of my cute food props at World Market. My father-in-law flew with us and the boys and we got to play in TN for a few days. The Cornbread Festival was so much fun. So much good food to try.

So…..did I win the cook-off? …..

That’s me, I won! I got the famous skillet champion hat plus $5000 to take home. What a fun weekend that was.

I ended up competing from 2004-about 2007. So many great memories and friends made. I’ll never forget it. When I was done competing, I started Picky Palate and here I am still creating recipes. It’s the perfect job for me

Hope you enjoy my winning cornbread recipe, give it a try, you’ll be glad you did!!

Chicken Taco Cornbread Wedges

Prep time: 20 min | Cook time: 20 min | Total time: 40 min

Ingredients

Dressing

1/2 cupRanch Dressing

1/2 cupsalsa verde

1 cuppacked cilantro leaves

Filling

2 tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil

1/2 cupfinely chopped onion

1/4 cupfinely chopped red pepper

1 tablespoonfinely chopped jalapeno pepper

2 cupsshredded rotisserie chicken

3 tablespoonsfinely chopped cilantro leaves

1/2 teaspoonkosher salt

1/2 teaspoonground cumin

1/4 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper

1 (14 1/2 oz.) candiced tomatoes with green chilies

Crust

1 largeegg

1 (7 oz.) pkg.Martha White® Sweet Yellow Cornbread Mix

1/2 cupmilk

3/4 cupcrushed corn tortilla chips

Toppings

1/2 cupshredded mozzarella cheese

1/2 cupshredded Cheddar cheese

3 cupsshredded romaine

1 cupchopped tomatoes

Directions

HEAT oven to 400°F. Combine ranch dressing, salsa and 1 cup cilantro leaves in a small food processor or blender. Process until well blended. Cover and refrigerate.

My Peanut Butter S’mores Style Panini could not be more delicious and simple to prepare! Dessert just got a bit sweeter!

What a fun day in the kitchen it was making these outrageous sweet grilled sandwiches!! Packed with creamy peanut butter, marshmallows and melty chocolate…you are in for a treat!

Fun recipe to make with the kids, be prepared for messy sweet hands.

Hope you enjoy!

I used Thomas Bagel Thins for the bread. I love the thin layers! Perfect for sandwiches, cream cheese and so much more.

A closer look at the bagel slices. Mmm!

I used a chocolate chunk bar for the chocolate layer. Trader Joe’s has an awesome bloc.

Chop a few squares of chocolate.

Spread bottom bagels with a thin layer of peanut butter.

Top with chocolate chunks.

Mini marshmallows….or cut up large marshmallows.

Butter a grill pan and place little sandwiches in!

Seriously!!!

Look at tha ooey gooey fabulousness!

Peanut Butter S’mores Style Panini

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 5 min | Total time: 15 min

Ingredients

4Thomas Bagel Thins, split

1/4 cupcreamy peanut butter

1/4 cupmilk chocolate chunks

1/2 cupmini marshmallows

4 tablespoonsbutter, unsalted

Directions

Heat a grill pan over medium heat.

Place bagels cut side up onto counter, one half of the bagels spread evenly with peanut butter and top with chocolate chunks and marshmallows. Close with top bagels.

Place butter into skillet to melt. Add bagel sandwiches, let cook and melt until chocolate and marshmallows begin to melt. Carefully flip and cook until both sides are toasted. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 Servings

This post is in partnership with Thomas Breads, however thoughts and opinions are my own.

Party food is so much fun to develop….and even more fun to eat. My family enjoys Mexican food on so many times during the week, it’s hands down some of our favorite food to enjoy as a family.

I put together two of our favorite things…homemade queso dip and bean dip. Wait until they are combined and baked to perfection. It’s a match made in bean dip heaven. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo or any party with hungry guests. This one does not disappoint.

Hope you enjoy!

It’s always a pleasure partnering with Old El Paso to bring you new recipes. I used their refried beans to help create my Ultimate dip today.

To make homemade queso, you’ll start with a simple roux. Melt butter and whisk in flour, salt and pepper. Next, you’ll whisk in some heavy cream until thickened then stir in the cheese.

Stir in a 10 ounce can of diced tomatoes with green chile to your cheese sauce.

Stir in your queso sauce right to the beans. Magic is about to take place

I transferred the dip to individual baking dishes, but you can use a 9×13 inch baking dish just as well.

Top with additional cheese!

Perfect. Now bake until melty and hot.

There’s the ticket. Now go grab some great tortilla chips and dig in!

Yah, that’s pretty much what heaven looks like. Enjoy!

The Ultimate Queso Bean Dip

Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 25 min | Total time: 40 min

Ingredients

Two 16 ounce cansOld El Paso Refried Beans

4 tablespoonsbutter, unsalted

1/4 cupall purpose flour

1/4 teaspoonkosher salt

1/4 teaspoonfreshly ground black pepper

1 cupheavy cream

2 cupsshredded cheddar cheese, divided

10 ounce candiced tomatoes with green chilies, mild

Directions

Place beans into large mixing bowl, stirring and mashing to combine.

Place butter into a small saucepan over medium heat to melt. Whisk in flour, salt and pepper, stirring for about 60 seconds. Slowly stir in heavy cream, whisking continuously until thickened. Once thickened, reduce heat to low and stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheese until melted smooth and thick. Stir in can of tomatoes, stirring to combined. Pour queso over beans, stir to combine. Transfer bean mixture to individual baking dishes or a 9×13 inch baking dish. Top with remaining cheese and bake for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is melted. Remove and serve warm with tortilla chips.

Makes 8-10 Servings

This post is in partnership with Old El Paso however thoughts and opinions are my own.

This Caramelized Roasted Banana Bread with Oat Streusel is sweet, rich and absolutely a must for banana bread lovers!

Banana bread is one of my favorite things to bake for my family. I get a little excited every time I see bananas that have gotten dark because I know I’ll be making banana bread!

Have you tried roasting your bananas before adding them to your batter? They become caramelized from the butter and brown sugar…literally a dream. Sweet and rich. So excited for you to try this new recipe!

It’s such a pleasure partnering with Quaker’s 3 Minute Steel Cut Oats today. We love oatmeal for breakfast at our house and I LOVE baking with oatmeal so this was a great partnership. I had such a blast creating this recipe with their oats in the streusel. Crunchy sweet topping in every bite.

Their Steel Cut Oats are made with 100% whole grain oats that are expertly cut to preserve the hearty texture of the whole oat, new Quaker® Quick 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats cooks in minutes to make breakfast both convenient and tasty.

Quaker® Quick 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats delivers the same hearty texture and nutty flavor that has made steel cut oats popular, but are now ready in minutes.

Slice 2 large ripe bananas into 1/2 inch slices.

Place into ramekin or other small baking dish of choice. Top with cubed cold butter and brown sugar. Bake then remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

Place all of the streusel ingredients into a food processor. Pulse until crumbly dough starts to form.

Place streusel pieces on top of banana bread batter and bake!

Let your bread cool completely before slicing. It will be worth the wait, trust me!

Crunchy sweet oat streusel in every bite. Mmm!

Caramelized Roasted Banana Bread with Oat Streusel

Prep time: 25 min | Cook time: 60 min | Total time: 1 hour 25 min

Ingredients

Caramelized Roasted Bananas

2 largebananas

2 tablespoonsunsalted butter, cold and cubed

2 tablespoonslight brown sugar, packed

Banana Bread

1 stickunsalted butter, softened

1/2 cupgranulated sugar

1 largeegg

1 teaspoonpure vanilla extract

1 cupall-purpose flour

1 teaspoonground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoonbaking soda

1/2 teaspoonkosher salt

Oat Streusel

4 tablespoonscold butter, unsalted and cubed

1/4 cupall-purpose flour

1/4 cuplight brown sugar, packed

1/4 cupQuaker 3 Minute Steel Cut Oats

1 teaspoonground cinnamon

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sliced bananas into a baking dish. Place butter evenly over bananas and sprinkle brown sugar on top. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden and bubbly. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

To prepare banana bread, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cream butter and sugar in large bowl until well combined. Stir in egg and vanilla then roasted bananas. Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Stir until combined then transfer to lightly greased small loaf pan.

Quaker wants you to try our their new Quick Cooking Steel Cut Oats, so they’re going to be giving one lucky person this beautiful basket, including:

A set of two oversized ceramic oatmeal mugs, perfect for sharing a bowl of Quaker Quick 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats with a family member or friend
A one-pocket apron ideal for cooking and baking everything from a simple breakfast to an elaborate dish
A set of four red ceramic measuring cups for measuring oats and other ingredients
An all-purpose wooden spoon for preparing your next homemade bowl of oats
A retro kitchen timer for timing the Quick 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats preparation
A $25 Visa gift card to purchase ingredients for your very own steel cut oat creation
A spacious wicker basket to house all of your favorite dry breakfast ingredients
Quaker Quick 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats Canister and the Quaker Quick 3-Minute Steel Cut Oatmeal flavored varieties, including both the Blueberries & Cranberries and Brown Sugar & Cinnamon flavors
Total giveaway value is approximately $130

How to Enter
Enter giveaway by simply leaving a comment telling us your favorite way to enjoy your oatmeal!

For an extra entry, post your own steel cut oat recipe online {using Twitter or Instagram} using Quaker 3-Minute Steel Cut Oats Original flavor using the hashtags #QuakerUp and #SweepsEntry. Be sure to tag me @pickypalate so I can track your entries!

Good luck!

This post is in partnership with Quaker Oats however thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Apple Pie Style Chocolate Taco is the perfect sweet treat to enjoy for any occasion! Fun and chocolatey!

Some days are so much fun in the kitchen….today was definitely one of them Putting together this chocolate taco deliciousness was such a treat. My boys could hardly believe their eyes when they saw me painting chocolate on taco shells, ha!

Not only is this fun taco incredibly delicious, it literally takes about 20 minutes from start to finish.

If you are looking to impress your guests on Mexican food night, this dessert taco is your ticket!

Hope you enjoy.

Here’s an idea of the ingredients you’ll need to get started. Nice and easy. I used Ghirardelli’s chocolate melts for my chocolate, but use whatever chocolate you’d like. These melt so nicely. Love them.

Just like art class, paint your chocolate over the inside and outside of your shells.

The chocolate hardens pretty quick. Let them sit while you prepare the apple filling.

Be sure to get your whipped cream whipped so it’s ready to go

Peel and chop 4 large apples. I used Gala, but just about any variety will work great.

Pour your apple chunks into a hot skillet with melted butter.

Add some brown sugar.

Add ground cinnamon and stir to combine. Let cook for about 5 minutes.

Spoon that gorgeous apple filling into your chocolate tacos.

Top each taco with a nice dollop of whipped cream and some chocolate shavings. Enjoy!

Apple Pie Style Chocolate Taco

Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 10 min | Total time: 20 min

Ingredients

4Old El Paso Stand n’Stuff Taco Shells

1 cupmelted chocolate

3 tablespoonsbutter, unsalted

4 largechopped peeled gala apples

3 tablespoonslight brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoonsground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoonkosher salt

1 cupheavy whipping cream

2 teaspoonspowdered sugar

2 teaspoonsgrated chocolate, optional

Directions

Place taco shells onto a parchment lined baking sheet. With a pastry brush, brush melted chocolate inside and half way up outside of taco shell. Place on baking sheet to let chocolate dry.

Place butter into large skillet over medium heat to melt. Add apples, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, stirring to combine. Let cook for 5 minutes then reduce heat to low.

To prepare whipped cream, place cream and sugar into a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until whipped cream forms. When chocolate has dried, spoon apple filing into taco shells. Top each taco warm, with a dollop of whipped cream and grated chocolate.

Makes 4 Servings

This post is in partnership with Old El Paso, however thoughts and opinions are my own.

My Pecan Chocolate Chip Maple French Toast Bake makes the perfect breakfast or brunch treat for your family and friends!

It’s such a pleasure partnering with Thomas Breads this year to bring you some fun creative recipes using their delicious bagels and English muffins! I developed the most delicious French toast bake with Thomas’s Maple French Toast Bagels. They are soft, cinnamon-y and maple delicious. So excited for you to try this!

These bagels. Can’t even begin to say how much we love these!!

I split the bagels and cut each of the halves in 8 triangles.

Time to get the egg mixture ready!

A nice splash of vanilla.

Brown sugar up next.

Lots of cinnamon

Give a good whisk then pour over bagels in casserole dish.

Perfect, just a couple other sweet toppings.

Top with mini chocolate chips and chopped pecans. Time to bake!

Whisk up a sweet drizzle and pour over a nice bowl of French toast bake! Enjoy!

Cut bagels into eighths and place into baking dish. Place eggs, cream, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and salt into a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combined then pour evenly over cut bagels. With spoon, press bagels into egg base. Top with pecans and chocolate chips. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until eggs are set. Remove and let cool for 10 minutes.

To prepare sweet icing, whisk powdered sugar and cream until smooth, drizzle over warm bake. Cut into squares and serve.

Makes 8-10 Servings

This post in in partnership with Thomas Breads however thoughts and opinions are my own.

Welcome to Picky Palate, my online kitchen! You'll usually find me with a cookie in one hand and a salad in the other. It's all about the balance :) The recipes you'll see are my creations. The Picky Palate Cookbook is now available. Enjoy!